Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes (D) expressed “frustration” with the Biden administration during a Monday interview with Rolling Stone in which he claimed Attorney General Merrick Garland and the Department of Justice should be targeting those who make “threats” to election workers and administrators.
Fontes called Garland a “cautious” person and asserted “he is being far too cautious here, when it comes to these investigations and prosecutions of threats against election administrators and election workers.”
While Fontes stressed his “respect” for Garland, he claimed his lack of aggressive tactics “is imperiling our democracy.”
He explained that Garland “and the department are not devoting nearly enough resources” to prosecuting threats against election officials, which he argued “should be treated like the emergency that it is.”
Fontes is facing forthcoming legal action from the Republican-controlled Arizona Legislature after he produced an Elections Procedures Manual (EPM) that reportedly criminalizes criticism of the election system by voters and voter challenges to poll workers.
Fontes’ manual would also prevent Republicans from appointing central count and signature verification board members to provide independent oversight over the process, which will be overseen by Fontes’ office in 2023.
The secretary of state went on to tell Rolling Stone that he met with Biden administration officials last year, likely referencing his September trip to Washington, D.C. that resulted in Arizona State Treasurer Kimberly Yee (R) serving as acting governor while both Fontes and Governor Katie Hobbs (D) were out of the state.
He reported to the news magazine that Biden administration officials promised to take his advice “under advisement,” but Fontes told the outlet Garland and his subordinates are “worried about political blowback from some of the radicals in elected office in Washington, D.C.” and claimed DOJ officials are “more worried about their appropriations than they are about keeping the peace and preserving our democracy.”
Fontes insisted that that Garland, not Biden, should receive the blame, asserting the “independence of the department.”
State Senator Jake Hoffman (R-Queen Creek), the founder of the Arizona Freedom Caucus, told The Arizona Sun Times that Fontes would be better served by focusing on his job.
“Adrian Fontes is a far-Left extremist who is openly espousing outlandish conspiracy theories and advocating for the weaponization of the DOJ against his political opponents,” said Hoffman. “After his utter failure to produce an EPM in compliance with Arizona law, I would strongly suggest he focus more on doing his job.”
Fontes did not reference the two Cochise County elected officials who were criminally indicted by Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes (D) last November when warning of threats against those who administer the state’s elections.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Georgia Star News, The Virginia Star, and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Sec State Adrian Fontes” by SOS Adrian Fontes.
